Hinged box construction



Jan. 3, 1967 P. s. OFTNER 32%,733

HINGED BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 15, 1965 United States Patent Ofiice3,255,713 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 3,295,713 HINGE!) BOX CONSTRUCTIGNPhilip 'S. Optner, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., assignor to Lermer Packaging(Iorporation, Garwood, NJ. Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,643 3Claims. (Cl. 220--31) This invention relates generally to the field ofplastic containers, and more particularly to an improved hinged boxconstruction of a type suitable for packaging small articles ofmerchandise, pills, medicaments and the like. Devices of this type aregenerally known in the art, and the invention lies in the specificconstructional details permitting improved ease of assembly, durabilityand improved, useful life of the same.

In plastic containers of this type, it is known in the art to provide ahinged interconnection between mating halves ofthe container in whicheach mating half is provided with cooperating detents and projectionswhich are forced into engagement at the time of assembly. While suchcontainers may perform relatively well for short periods of time,increased wear resulting from continuously opening and closing the boxcauses excessive play at the hinged interconnection, with the resultthat ultimately the hinge is unable tosustain itself, andthe containerfalls apart.

Hinges employing a pintle for interconnecting the two halves of thehinge are not unknown in box construction of the instant type, however,owing to the fact that in synthetic resinous containers, the hingingmeans is molded integrally with the container half, the assembly of suchdevices has been eXtremely difiicult, and the hinge interconnectionWeak.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention toprovide an improved synthetic resinous box construction incorporating aninterconnecting hinge means in which the above mentioned disadvantagesof the prior art construction have been substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsynthetic resinous box construction in which each of the mating halvesis provided with hinge pintle means engageable in a correspondingcylindrical recess on the other of said mating halves to obtain apintype hinge joint.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsynthetic resinous hinged box construction possessed of the aboveadvantages, in which assembly of the same is conveniently manuallyaccomplished without excessive distortion of mating synthetic resinousparts.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsynthetic resinous box construction in which the parts of fabricationmay be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale,distribution and use.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsynthetic resinous box construction which although readily assembled,cannot be accidentally disassembled, by virtue of the provision ofinterfitting arts capable of providing a permanent interconnection oncethe component parts of the box are assembled.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the inventiveconstruction may be embodied in a wide variety of synthetic resinousmaterials to accommodate individual requirements.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the followingdisclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment Cir of theinvention showing a first stage of assembly thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a similar side elevational view, showing the side oppositethat seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view corresponding to that seen in FIGURE1, but showing the embodiment in fully assembled condition.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view showing the side opposite that seenin FIGURE3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen from plan 55 in FIGURE3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view from the plane 66 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plan 7-7 inFIGURE 3. 1

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view from plane 8-8 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 9 is a view in perspective showing the embodiment in fullyassembled open condition.

In accordance with the invention, the device generally indicated by thereference character 10, comprises broadly: first and second matingelements 11 and 12. As illustrated in FIGURE 9 in the drawing, theseelements may be identical and formed from the same mold cavity, or ifdesired, one of the elements may be greater in depth than the other tocomply with individual requirements of volume shape and the like. Eachof the leading elements 11 and 12 includes a pair of side walls 14 and15, end walls 16 and 17, as well as corner bend portions 18, 19, 20, and21. Positioned on the side wall 14 are interlocking detent closure means22, each including first and second protuberances 23 and 24, defining atapered channel 25 therebetween, as well as an outwardly extendingflange 26, preferably having a finger engaging button 27 thereon.

Each of the elements 11 and 12 is provided with first hinge means 30forming a cylindrical socket, and second hinge means 31 forming a pintleengageable within said socket. The first hinge means 30 include a firstor outer member 32 integrally molded with the side wall 15 and defininga lower continuous edge 33. Extending outwardly from the edge 33 are apair of end surfaces 34 and 35, a first convex side surface 36 and asecond side surface 37 of tapered concave configuration. The surface 37is bordered by a pair of planar surface segments 38 and 39.

The second or inner member 46 of the first hinge means 3% is alsobounded by a lower continuous edge 41, as Well as end surfaces 42 and43, a convex side surface 44 and a concave side surface 45. As best seenin FIGURE 3 in the drawing, the concave surfaces 37 and 45 areoppositely faced as well as axially spaced to form a con tinuous bore 46of substantially cylindrical configuration.

The second hinge means 31 includes a mounting flange 48 extending from acontinuous edge 49' from the side walls 15 and bounded by end surfaces51 and 51 as well as side surfaces 52 and 53. Extending from the endsurface 51 is an elongated pintle 54 including a tapered portion 55extending from a base 56 and an enlargement 58 on the free end thereof.The enlargement includes a conical surface 59 as well as an annularsurface 60 extending at right angles to the principal axis of the shaft55.

As has been mentioned hereinabove, the first and second mating elements11 and 12 may be formed from a single molding cavity, and as molded isready for immediate assembly with another mating element to form thecompleted device 10. Referring to FIGURE 1, assembly is simplyaccomplished by positioning the open cavities 61 of each element inmutually offset relation such that the means 31 on one element isthereby positioned adjacent the means 31 of the oppositely placed matingelement. Where it is desired to assemble the device 10 in closedcondition, the closure means 22 may also be simultaneously aligned asshown in FIGURE 2. By exerting gentle as seen as seen pressure on theoppositely disposed end walls 15, the conical surfaces 59 of the pintles54 will engage the continuous bore 46 formed by the members 32 and 40and pass through the same to a point where the surface 60 engages an endsurface 34 to prevent subsequent disengagement of the pintle from thebore, while permitting axial rotation which permits the opening andclosing of the device. If desired, assembly may be provided by means ofa small compressed air fixture (not shown) which will permit rapidassembly of a plurality of similar devicesv Owing to the fact that atrue hinge is formed, wear between the hinge elements is negligible, andthe useful life of the device is almost unlimited unless undue pressureis placed upon the pintles by forcing one mating element against theother.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limitedto the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. In a synthetic resinous molded hinged box construction, includingfirst and second mating elements, the improvement comprising:socket-forming hinge means on one of said mating elements including afirst member having a generally semi-circular recessed surface forming aportion of a circular socket, and a second member adjacent the firstmember and in juxtaposed relation there to having a second generallysemi-circular surface forming the remaining part of said circularsocket; said first and second members being capable of limitedflexibility to allow enlargement of said socket; the other of saidmating elements having a mounting flange extending from an outer surfacethereof, and an elongated shaft extending laterally from said mountingflange and generally parallel to said last-mentioned outer surface, saidshaft having a free end thereof selectively projectable into saidcircular sockets to be freely rotatable therein.

2. In a synthetic resinous molded hinged box construction, includingfirst and second mating elements, the improvement comprising:socket-forming hinge means on one of said mating elements including afirst member having a generally semi-circular recessed surface forming aportion of a circular socket, and a second member ad- 4 jacent the firstmember and in juxtaposed relation thereto having a second generallysemi-circular surface forming the remaining part of said circularsocket; said first and second members being capable of limitedflexibility to allow enlargement of said socket; the other of saidmating elements having a mounting flange extending from an outer surfacethereof, and an elongated shaft extending laterally from said mountingflange and generally parallel to said last-mentioned outer surface, saidshaft having a free end thereof selectively projectable into saidcircular sockets to be freely rotatable therein; at least one of saidsemi-circular surfaces being of tapered configuration, said shaft havinga camming surface thereon for engaging said tapered surface andspreading said socket.

3. In a synthetic resinous molded hinged box construction, includingfirst and second mating elements, the improvement comprising:socket-forming hinge means on one generally semi-circular recessedsurface forming a portion of a circular socket, and a second memberadjacent the first member and in juxtaposed relation thereto having asecond generally semi-circular surface forming the remaining part ofsaid circular socket; said first and second members being capable oflimited flexibility to allow enlargement of said socket; the other ofsaid mating elements having a mounting flange extending from an outersurface thereof, and an elongated shaft extending laterally from saidmounting flange and generally parallel to said last-mentioned outersurface, said shaft having a free end thereof selectively projectableinto said circular sockets to be freely rotatable therein; at least oneof said semi-circular surfaces being of tapered configuration, saidshaft having a camming surface thereon for engaging said tapered surfaceand spreading said socket; said camming surface terminating in a lockingsurface disposed at right angles with respect to the axis of said firstand second members to prevent withdrawal of said shaft from said socket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,212,125 10/1965Hussell 2203 1 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

J. B. MARBERT, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A SYNTHETIC RESINOUS MOLDED HINGED BOX CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND MATING ELEMENTS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: SOCKET-FORMING HINGE MEANS ON ONE OF SAID MATING ELEMENTS INCLUDING A FIRST MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR RECESSED SURFACE FORMED A PORTION OF A CIRCULAR SOCKET, AND A SECOND MEMBER ADJACENT THE FIRST MEMBER AND IN JUXTAPOSED RELATION THERETO HAVING A SECOND GENERALLY SEMI-CIRCULAR SURFACE FORMING THE REMAINING PART OF SAID CIRCULAR SOCKET; SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS BEING CAPABLE OF LIMITED FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW ENLARGEMENT OF SAID SOCKET; THE OTHER OF SAID MATING ELEMENTS HAVING A MOUNTING FLANGE EXTENDING FROM AN OUTER SURFACE THEREOF, AND AN ELONGATED SHAFT EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID MOUNTING FLANGE AND GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LAST-MENTIONED OUTER SURFACE, SAID SHAFT HAVING A FREE END THEREOF SELECTIVELY PROJECTABLE INTO SAID CIRCULAR SOCKETS TO BE FREELY ROTATABLE THEREIN. 